1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to small utility trailers and, more particularly, to small utility trailers that are capable of tilting to load and unload equipment carried by the trailers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Small utility trailers are popular devices for hauling small machines such as golf carts, lawn mowers, and motorcycles, among other machinery. For convenience, the beds of many small utility trailers tilt back to facilitate loading and unloading of the trailer. A problem, however, is associated with the tilting trailers. When the machinery is loaded onto the tilted trailer, after the machinery goes past the tilt fulcrum, the bed of the tilt trailer may rapidly slam from the tilted to the horizontal orientation. The rapidly slamming trailer bed when it moves from a tilted position to a horizontal position may be unsafe to the machinery, to the trailer, and to personnel. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for small tilt trailers that prevented a rapid slamming of a trailer bed when it moves from a tilted to a horizontal position. Conversely, a trailer bed may rapidly slam when it moves from a horizontal to a tilted position when the trailer is unloaded. Similarly, the rapidly slamming trailer bed may be unsafe to machinery, to the trailer, and to personnel. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for small tilt trailers that prevented a rapid slamming of a trailer bed when it moves from a horizontal to a tilted position.
There are many small utility trailers that are currently in use that are not equipped with devices for reducing rapid slamming described above. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for small tilt trailers that facilitated retrofitting of present utility trailers with devices for eliminating rapid slamming.
For convenience and for keeping retrofitting costs low, it would be desirable if the devices used for retrofitting small utility trailers to eliminate rapid slamming were readily available and relatively inexpensive.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to small utility trailers, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,690,490; 3,833,263; 3,901,397; and 4,394,105. None of the above cited patents provide a device for eliminating rapid slamming as described above.
The following U.S. patent may also be of interest. U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,548 discloses a device for securing a truck trailer thereto and tilting the device so that contents of the truck trailer are dumped. The tilting is carried out by hydraulically powered cylinders.
Small utility trailers described above are not hydraulically powered. Providing hydraulic power for tilting on a small utility trailer would be unnecessarily complex and expensive, especially for retrofitting trailers currently in use. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for small tilt trailers which eliminates rapid trailer bed slamming without using hydraulically powered devices.
Still other features would be desirable in a tilt trailer device that prevents the trailer bed from slamming rapidly. For example, a small utility trailer is often loaded and unloaded by a single person. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for small tilt trailers that prevents rapid trailer bed slamming and permits a single person to load and unload a trailer.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use small utility tilt trailers, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a tilt trailer stabilizer apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) prevents a rapid slamming of a trailer bed when it moves from a tilted to a horizontal position; (2) prevents a rapid slamming of a trailer bed when it moves from a horizontal to a tilted position; (3) facilitates retrofitting of present tilting utility trailers with devices for eliminating rapid slamming; (4) employs devices for retrofitting small utility trailers which are readily available and relatively inexpensive; (5) eliminates rapid trailer bed slamming without using hydraulically powered devices; and (6) prevents rapid trailer bed slamming and permits a single person to load and unload a trailer. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique tilt trailer stabilizer apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.